The Cyrillic Alphabet, 
the Bulgarian Language and the Bible

The Cyrillic Alphabet was named after its creator: Constantine Cyril. Together with his brother Methodius (born: Michael), these learned men and devoted Christians had a desire to reach the Slavic peoples of Eastern Europe with the Gospel Message. Hence, they are remembered as the 'Apostles to the Slavs.' But they needed a language to communicate it to them. This was the beginning of the Cyrillic Alphabet.

 

They were learned Christian missionaries, having enjoyed a good education in Salonica (modern-day Thessaloniki, Greece). They were born to a Byzantine statesman and a Bulgarian mother. Cyril was a missionary and pursued literature and philosophy, Methodius was part of diplomatic services before choosing a Monastic life. In the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, they are considered saints; they are also recognised as such by the Roman Catholic Church. Their influence on Christianity and its spread is of tremendous importance. They are remembered as 'two holy men.'

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'The two holy men turned to Christ in prayer, for Him to help them find letters so they can translate God's Word in their language.' St. Kliment Ohridski

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The Christian Message of Good News may have been in modern-day Bulgarian lands from early on, perhaps even through the Apostle Paul himself. There is evidence that suggests that the biblical town of Philippi is actually modern-day Plovdiv, or Philippopolis, the City of Philip, named after the father of Alexander the Great. Philippi later became a Roman colony of some significance (Acts 16:12), parts of Alexander's vast Empire being conquered by Rome. Be that as it may, we fast forward to the 'two holy men' who, in the ninth century, turned to Christ with a desire to translate God's Word into a language to reach the Slavic peoples with the Gospel. This mission was officially sanctified by the Pope in Rome. At that time the Church was still united, but rivalries between Rome and Constantinople had caused frictions. The Great Schism took place in 1054, Rome being the centre of Western Catholic Christianity and Constantinople the seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church. 

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The New Testament of the Bible was originally written in Greek (koine Greek). This simplified Greek was the lingua franca (the common language of communication) of the Eastern part of the Roman Empire, tracable to the Hellenisation under Alexander the Great. His cultural programme was to make his subjects more Greek (Hellas), although he learned from conquered cultures and was even fascinated by some of them. The Western Roman Empire spoke Latin and Church Father Jermone translated the Bible into Latin (late-fourth century AD). The Vulgate became the official Bible of the Western church, and is still used today by Roman Catholicism. Church liturgy was held in Greek (East) and Latin (West).

 

The Slavic people had to know Greek or Latin in order to understand the Bible and the Gospel, but they didn't. How could Cyril and Methodius' desire to reach the Slavs be fulfilled? By creating an alphabet the Slavs understood and establish a proper language. The Pope approved church liturgy in Slavic and the translation of the Holy Bible to the Slavic language as established by the 'two holy men.' Sadly, Cyril died but his brother and eager helpers finished the great work started.